Saliah-Kootertai Community College Box 1020 L
Property Of
Ronan, MT 59364
PABLO, MONTANA 59655 ISSN: 0528-8592
Salish Koeienai Community College
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NEWSPAPER OF THE SALISH, PEND dx0REILLE AND KOOTENAI TRIBES' OF THE FLATHEAD INDIAN RESERVATION, WESTERN MONTANA
VA,*"
VOLUME 12 NUMBER 9 THE MONTH OF THE CHOKECHERRY SEPTEMBER 15, 1983
Tribal Constitution up for revision, but few seem to care
The Tribal public stayed away in droves from the September 6 Council meeting that concentrated on reviewing a number of proposed changes in the Tribes' 48-year-old Constitution. The meeting was especially announced on page one of the September 1 issue of the Tribal newsletter.
Two major changes involve removing the Interior Secretary's authority to approve matters when not required
to do so by federal law, and adding a provision allowing the Tribes to levy taxes on certain activities.
Besides seven councilmen, three BIA people, the executive secretary and treasurer, a recording secretary, and one reporter, only six other people stopped by to hear attorney Evelyn Stevenson go through parts of three different sets of proposed revisions. Four of the six — Bearhead Swaney, Ron Therriault, Kevin Howlett, and
Chuck Tellier — actively debated some sections.
Any changes to the document have to be voted on by the Tribal public. Between now and early next year, when a special referendum could be called, the Council will ponder a document called "the BIA version of Fogartys 1979 draft", prior to presenting it
(Concludes on page two)
Stevensville pilgrimage..,
... Sunday, September 18. Noon Mass followed by potluck lunch and war dancing. Everyone who wishes to is invited to bring a salad or dessert
Those of you needing a ride can call the Culture Committee in St Ignatius at 745-4572 during the day. Ask for Dolly Linsebigler or Clarence Woodcock. Everyone is welcome to take part in this traditional annual gathering.
Two cases uphold Tribal taxation authority
A court case dismissal that was announced late in August held that the Quinault (Washington) Indian Nation, in effect had "within [its] Tribal sovereign powers the authority to impose taxes" on both Indian and non-Indian businesses alike"
About a week later, the Shoshone and Arapaho Indians of Wyoming were judged to have "an inherent right' and the'' full authority to exercise [ the] right" to impose severance taxes on oil and gas from Tribal lease property.
A memo from CSKTs general counsel in Washington, D.C. - Baenen,
Timme, De Reitzes and Middleton -explains the first situation:
"The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has upheld the dismissal of a suit brought against the Quinault Indian Nation by non-Indian business owners within the Quinault Reservation. The suit which was brought under the Indian Civil Rights Act challenged that tribe's proposed implementation of a business license fee and tax. The proposed tax, which is to be imposed on both Indian and non-
(Concludes on page two)